Probiotics, cultured foods, and prebiotics

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Prebiotics

Prebiotics are a soluble dietary fibers, used to stimulate the activity, or the growth of probiotics in our digestive tract. Prebiotic fibers are not digestible for humans, or we can digest them very poorly, and the only value of dietary prebiotics is to maintain our intestinal microbiota healthy. There is some scientific debate upon the classification of prebiotics, but generally, we can call prebiotic any substance that stimulates our intestinal microflora.

This page lists various information about prebiotics such as health benefits, dietary sources, side effects, safety measures, etc...

If you want to need more about resistant starch, this is a great book, that goes into great details, and helps you identify foods that naturally contains it. The book is a great resource for those who want to improve their intake of idigestible carbohydrates, and understand how resistant starch works in your body. The subject is not a trivial one, yet Chase Williams, the author, manages to present it in a form that is easy to understand.

Probiotics are microorganisms in a symbiotic relationship with humans, and prebiotics are the food for the microorganisms. In order to benefit from probiotics, (the good microbacterial flora), we need to nourish them, to allow the proper growth of their colony; without the proper food the micro flora would just starve, and eventually die.

This product from Klaire Labs combines two prebiotics for a synergistic effect on gut microbiota. The blend contains galactooligosaccharides and beta-glucan, a prommising prebiotic blend. Galactooligosaccharides is a fibre commonly found in breast milk, and in lower quantities even in early cow's milk, and it is a great prebiotic, selectively feeding good bacteria. Beta-glucan is a polysaccharide with prebiotic activity and a great ability to modulate immune system.

Raw plantain flour is a great soure of resistant starch. Many people do not tolerate green banana flour, but they love plantain flour. This is probaly the best source of RS2 type resistant starch. Starch from raw potato is easier to dose than this flour, and people love it for its lucid dreams inducing capabilities, but plantain flour is safer to use, and better.

A great benefit of this product is that it causes less gastrointestinal discomfort than other resistant starches. I also love the texture of it in my smoothie.

Larch tree exctract, arabinogalactan, is one of the best prebiotic fibers. One of the reasons is because it selectively feeds the good bacteria, while maintaining a great digestive tolerance. Unlike most of the prebiotics, larch extract will not give you painful gas problems. FiberAid from Swanson is completely soluble in liquid, and can't even notice it in your coffee, tea, or smoothie.

Jarrow Formulas prebiotic is a combination of inulin and Froctoolygosaccharides. Fructoolygosaccharides and Inulin are different types of prebiotic fiber, and they selectively stimulate colonic bacteria. By taking a combination of the two fibers, you ensure you fertilize more types of bacteria. Microbiota biodiversity is a key for maintaining a great gut health.

Prebiotic supplements are the easiest way to get enough soluble fiber in your diet. For best results you should supplement with various types of prebiotics. This will ensure an uniform fertilization of all bacteria species in our guts.

If you get enough soluble fiber in your diet, you don't need prebiotic supplements, however, that's almost never the case with most Western diets.

This is pure raw, unheated, unpasteurized honey, the way it should be in order to preserve its curative properties. Raw honey is the way we should eat it, because besides the sugar and the trace minerals, it contains some other amazing compunds and enzymes, that are unique.

The benefits of apple cider vinegar, called for short ACV, are exaggerated by some, but that doesn't mean ACV is not a little miracle in a bottle. The medical world dismiss it too easy, maybe because there is very little incentive to make research on a cheap remedy like vinegar, maybe because it's too simple to be considered. Fact is there are many health benefits from having ACV in your daily diet, read on to learn more.

Kiwi-Klenz from Xtend-Life is a standardized kiwifruit powder with proprietary kiwi extract Digesten-K. It contains both of the components in an equal amount, 250 mg per capsule. The kiwifruit powder is nothing special besides the fact that it comes from New Zealand, and these are the best kiwis in the world. However, just as simple as it appears to be kiwifruit powder is a powerful antioxidant and prebiotic. There are numerous other manufacturers who sell kiwifruit powder, but simple powder, although less expensive, is not as powerful as Kiwi-Klenz.

Kiwi fruit powder retains almost all of the fresh fruit properties, making it a powerful antioxidant and a great prebiotic. Kiwi fruit is packed with vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, (more than orange), vitamin K, Vitamin E, vitamin B, potassium and manganese. The kiwifruit capsules are supplemented with actinidin and other kiwi extracts to make them more efficient.

Fermented foods are foods that are transformed through controlled fermentation, by microorganisms. Food fermentation has various objectives such preservation, taste and aroma enhancements, or even obtaining absolutely new foods, or drinks, without any resemblance of the original ingredients.

Dandy Blend is a mix of roasted chicory and dandelion roots, that simulates coffee taste. The blend also contains roasted beets, barley and rye. All the ingredients in the mix are important sources of prebiotic fiber, so the final product is loaded with inulin and other prebiotics. In fact if you would eat that much fiber you would have some serious stomach cramps and bloating. However, during roasting, a lot of the inulin is converted into sugar, hence the beverage is a little sweet, most people wouldn't need any sugar.

Teecino is one of the best coffee substitutes on the market. It is one of the best sellers on Amazon on its category, and it's very appreciated for its great taste, coffee-like, and it is a healthy choice for many reasons.

Raw milk is getting a lot of public attention lately, because commercially available milk is linked to health problems. Is it safe to drink raw milk though? Why is raw milk better than pasteurized? What is the difference between raw and pasteurized milk, and what is UHT milk?

The increasing interest in drinking raw milk is legitimate, however the real problem might not be the pasteurization of milk, but the ultra pasteurization. Raw milk has proved to have great health benefits, yet the legislation doesn't allow its distribution, because of the risks of infection with bacteria.

This prebiotic/probiotic shake recipe is a great starting example for anyone that wants to eat healthy and tasty. There is no reason to give up the joy of eating, or drinking a shake, we can have delicious and healthy shakes. This is not your ordinary probiotic food, it is packed with a lot of good bacteria and soluble dietary fiber.

Gum Arabic is probably one of the most underestimated foods. Maybe because we use it mostly as a stabilizer in the food industry, and we think that, as most of the stabilizer, it's there only to enhance the final product, and it is not an essential food. This is so far from truth. Gum Arabic, or Acacia gum, as it is also known, or E414, as it appears on many product labels, is a great food, that can improve everyone's life. It is one of the foods with the greatest content of soluble fiber, and is used by an increasing number of people to treat, IBS, diarrhea, constipation, reduce cholesterol, and even help with weight loss.